Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-11-04
A Tired Mothers Story.

This tender story OF mothers eNpe-
rience is published in the Christian
Weekly. She had laid her table with
great care aud pains for company of
distinguished guests, when her little
girl accidentally overturned ;nrecn of
gravy on the snowy cloth.
"What should | do? IL seemed drop
too much fc: my tired nerves, many
drops too much for my table-clo |
was about to jerk my child down angri-
" from the table. when a blessed inilu-
ence helG me. caugh: the expression
on her face; such sorry, frightened,
appealing look never saw, and sudden
" picture of the past came and stood
out vividly before 10y minds eye. NY
child's face revealed feelings which |
had experienced twenty years before.
81 vas myself little nervous girl,
about eight years old, in the happy home
of NV childhood. il was stormy day
I'm winter. II was soon after coal-oil
lamps were introduced, and father had
bought very handsome one. The snow
had driltCd up against the kitchen win
dows; so, although, it WAS not dark, the
lamp was lighted. Mother was sick in
bed upstairs. aGd We children were gath
cred in the kitchen to keep the roi>e aud
confusion away from her. | was feel
ing myself very important. helping to
get supper; at any rate, imagined |
was helping, and in my otliciousness
seized the lamp and went down the eel
lar for some butter; tried to set it on
the hanging. shelf. but alas. didn't
give it room enough, and down II fell
on the cemcnted floor.
IL never shall forget the shock that ii
gave me. seemed almost paralyzed. |
didn't dare 90 up stairs. aud was afraid
to stay down there. To make 1t worse,
| heard my fathers voice in the kitchen.
lie had cautioned us again and again to
be careful of that lamp, and now there
il lay, smashed to pieces.
But his voice seemed TO give me the
impetus | needed to 90 up and meet the
sroldirg or whipping. or both. which !
really felt deserved. SO | crept up
over the dark stairway, and as enter
ed the Kitchen met my father, with
such a stern look upon his face that !
was frightened. ! saw there was no heed
to tell him what had happened. lie had
heard the crash, and # he hadn't lgucss
NV face would have told the story.
"The children stood silently around
awaiting to see what father would do,
and | saw by their faces that they were
horror stricken, for that lamp had been
the subject of too much talk and wonder
to be smashed without sensation. As
for me, felt so frightened, so confused
and sorry, that couldn't speak. But
upon glancing again at father ] saw the
angry look die out Of his eyes and one
of tenderest pity take its place. doubt
not that he saw the same look In my face
then that | saw in my child's face to-
day. In minute he lifted me in his
arms, and was huggirg me close to his
breast. Then he whispered, oh, so kind
Iy: Never mind, little daughter; we
all know it was an accident, but | hope
you will take the small lamp when You
90 down the cellar again
ooh, what a revolution Of feelings |
experienced! IL was such a surprise to
me that | was suddenly overwhelmed
with feelings of love and gratitude, and
burying my face ] sobbed as il my heart
was breaking. No punishment could |
have affected me half so much, and |
nothing can efIace the memory Of II from
my mind.
"How ! love my father to day, as the
sight OF my little girls face brought 1t
all freshly before me! VIII she love
me as dearly, | wonder, twenty years or
more from now, because moved by the
same impulse that stirred my fathers
heart in that long ago time, ] was able
to press the little frightened thing 10
my heart, and tell her kindly that !
knew she didn't mean to spill the gra-
w, and that knew she would be more
careful another time? Will she be
helped by it when she is mother, as !
have been helped by it tO-dayf"